What is the emotional state of those who recognize their true state of being created in a state of continual need? How would you feel if you became increasingly aware that you are incomplete in yourself? If you dropped all your false defenses and admitted your true condition of never quite being fully complete and satisfied in this world?
You would be sad...and more than that...I believe you would mourn.
In Mt. 5:4, Jesus tells us that those who mourn are blessed; they shall be comforted. I believe He is saying that blessed are those who do not try to cover over their sadness at being created in a state of continual need with the things of this world. How easy it is to do this! We are now nearing Christmas and most are participating in the frenzy of purchasing gifts that do not last. How wonderful it is to give, but how dangerous it is to try to fill that God shaped hole in each of us through either giving or receiving.
Far better Jesus says is it for us to regularly sense that ache...to mourn...so that we remember that we were created for union with something (someone) far greater than ourselves and anything in this world. We should mourn because we were made for union with God...and until that union is complete...we are not complete. Blessed are those who recognize that fact.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Poor in spirit
Most have heard and are familiar with the sermon on the mount recorded in the fifth chapter of Matthew. But getting to the exact meaning of the words spoken by Jesus is another matter. Especially at the beginning, the sermon on the mount is an enigmatic collection of sayings starting with the Jesus telling us that the poor in spirit are "blessed" and that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to them.
So naturally we are left to ask, "what does it mean to be poor in spirit"?
To be poor is to be lacking something. In this case, it is doubtful that what is lacking is money. The poor in spirit are literally lacking spirit. But what does that mean? I agree with Jamison, Faucett and Brown that it probably is referring to a "frame of mind." It is a frame of mind that not only possesses the quality of being poor in spirit, but also recognizes its condition. I believe the underlying theme of the New Testament is that each of us is in reality poor in spirit; however few actually recognize that fact. Blessed are those who recognize their true condition of being poor in spirit.
Yet, what consists of true recognition of this fact? Is there something beyond the fact that we realize that we are poor in spirit? Is that all that is to be found in this "frame of mind"? I believe not.
It is the recognition not only of our true condition of being "poor in spirit", but also that the answer to that "lacking" is found only in God. Put a different way, we are all created with a God-shaped hole in our hearts. We are created in the condition of continuous need. We spend lifetimes filling that need with all kinds of things that really don't fit.
Blessed is the man (woman) who recognizes their true condition of being created in need and the true answer to that need....God Himself. For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
So naturally we are left to ask, "what does it mean to be poor in spirit"?
To be poor is to be lacking something. In this case, it is doubtful that what is lacking is money. The poor in spirit are literally lacking spirit. But what does that mean? I agree with Jamison, Faucett and Brown that it probably is referring to a "frame of mind." It is a frame of mind that not only possesses the quality of being poor in spirit, but also recognizes its condition. I believe the underlying theme of the New Testament is that each of us is in reality poor in spirit; however few actually recognize that fact. Blessed are those who recognize their true condition of being poor in spirit.
Yet, what consists of true recognition of this fact? Is there something beyond the fact that we realize that we are poor in spirit? Is that all that is to be found in this "frame of mind"? I believe not.
It is the recognition not only of our true condition of being "poor in spirit", but also that the answer to that "lacking" is found only in God. Put a different way, we are all created with a God-shaped hole in our hearts. We are created in the condition of continuous need. We spend lifetimes filling that need with all kinds of things that really don't fit.
Blessed is the man (woman) who recognizes their true condition of being created in need and the true answer to that need....God Himself. For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
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